System and mechanism for dispensing fluids



Jan. 12, 1965 J. w. HAMMOND ETAL 3,165,128

SYSTEM AND MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING FLUIDS Filed Nov. 27, 1961 r ll fI/I 3 Ml wk f a a z au m F MMJ W mm W N n H Hi w eg n VMO .Mnsv F United States Patent 3,165,128 SYTEM AND MECHANEM FOR DISFENSWG FLUEDS James W. Hammond, Emporium, and George B.

Ensminger, (llanta, Pa, assignors to Curtiss- Wright Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 155,542

10 Claims. (Cl. 141-209) This invention relates to an improvement in mechanisms for dispensing liquids, particularly fuel. The herewith illustrated mechanism is of the type shown by an application of James W. Hammond Ser. No. 135,106 filed August 28, 1961, now Patent No. 3,118,475, issued January 21, 1964, entitled System and Mechanism for Dispensing Fluids, owned by the assignee hereof.

The principal object of the present invention is to make the above identified type of liquid dispensing system and mechanism as well as other types safer for use by careless attendants and/ or persons unfamiliar with the proper use thereof, particularly for closed pressure fuel dispensing operations e.g. wherein a dispensing nozzle unit is connected in sealed relationship to the tank or container to be charged.

Other objects of the invention include provision of a liquid dispensing mechanism unit which, during closed pressure operations, will permit automatic or self closing of the control valve from any position in which an attendant may be attempting to hold it open, and wherein, after a liquid level or other condition responsive automatic shutdown signal has been given or has occurred, the attendant is prevented from using a manual control lever or its equivalent to add fuel to the tank or container at any flow rate in the absence of breaking the sealed connection necessary for closed pressure operation.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred mechanism shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a main or longitudinal central sectional assembly view of a nozzle and tank adapter unit or assembly F comprising a nozzle unit N and an adapter unit A sealed to a tank partially shown at T as in said Hammond application.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged detail sectional views taken as indicated at 22 and 33 respectively on FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view of a coupler unit, the section being taken the same as FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail sectional views in different scales, taken as indicated at 5-5 and 66 respectively on FIG. 1.

In the present description and claims terms signifying directions (e.g. top etc.) are for convenience only.

In common with said Hammond application the nozzle or nozzle unit N hereof has a main body or body section or housing 1 providing an inlet passage 2 for connection as at 2' with an end fitting of a supply hose, not shown, the passage 2 leading to a valve chamber around a spring-closed valve plug or plug assembly (hereinafter sometimes control valve) V, which thereby determines the rate of flow of liquid fuel to a discharge passage 3 in the body 1 leading into the adapter unit A as will be described. The control valve V includes a stem 4 which extends through a seal, not shown, to and upwardly past a valve latching and latch tripping mechanism L into a generally closed space or chamber 5 containing a manual-control-disabling or emergency valve control mechanism M between a control lever 7 and the valve stem 4 as will be more fully described later. The slot 5 in the wall of the chamber 5 through which the con- 3,165,128 Patented Jan. 12, 1965 ice trol lever 7 extends to mechanism M is preferably covered by a flexible boot, not shown, embracing the lever.

The discharge passage 3 of the nozzle unit N leads to the interior of the adapter A through a frusto-conical nose section 10 of the nozzle body 1, so that the fuel enters an adapter tube or pipe 11 which is permanently fixed in position in the tank T as by a tubular mounting head 12 of the adapter interiorly complementary to the conical nose portion or member 10. The member 19 is detachably retained in position on the head portion or member 12 of adapter A during closed pressure fueling operations as by a spring loaded ball detent coupling device or mechanism C. The adapter pipe 11 discharges the fuel into the tank through a splitter 13 to minimize foaming.

To provide, inter alia, a fuel-level-responsive primary shutdown control system operating through the latching and tripping mechanism L, a positive fuel pressure source P, is afforded by a Pitot tube assembly 15 communicating via passage 16 and branch 17 thereof with a fluid motor pressure chamber D. A flexible diaphragm or diaphragm assembly 18 connected toa crosshead member 19 of the latch etc. mechanism L, as in the Hammond application, forms one movable wall portion of the chamber D. An opposite movable wall portion thereof (part of a secondary shutdown control means described later) is constituted by a piston 20 slidable in a' cylinder bore 21 intersecting a passage formed in a vapor vent section 22 of the housing of nozzle unit N.

A second branch 24 of the positive pressure pickup passage 16 leads through the chamber of a spring loaded valve CP (which is held open only so long as the nozzle and adapter units N and A are in the illustrated mutually sealed relationship or condition necessary for closed pressure fueling (to intercommunicating passages 25 and 25a in the nose portion 10 and portions of the adapter assembly A respectively. Passage 25a terminates at the lower end of a tubular casing 26 of a liquid-level-responsive or float valve unit F secured to the adapter pipe 11 and operating as fully described in the Hammond application.

Assuming the control valve V is closed and that the float valve F is open as illustrated, the positive pressure pickup system 15-25 described above would be incapable of acting to maintain pressure on the diaphragm 18 in Chamber D suiiicient to hold the cross head 19 in its FIG. l-illustrated position because the positive pressure fluid would be vented through the float valve into the tank T. However (as fully described in the Hammond application) if the conditioner valve CP were to be closed (as occurs when the nozzle N is lifted out of sealed connection with the adapter head 12), or if the float valve F or other quantity-responsive signal device were to be closed, as in response to attainment of the desired liquid level in the tank, then in either case a roller 1901 (cf. FIG. 6) on the cross head 19 would occupy the i1- lustrated position. Thereby, for example, before the sealed connection between the nozzle and adapter units N and A has been established, only low or limited flow operation by the attendant through lifting of the control lever 7 would be possible because the roller 19a, then lying in the notch 4a of the valve stem 4 would prevent full or high flow enabling upward movement of the valve V. Thus, with the positive pressure system 1525 etc. vented through the float valve F as illustrated 3 When the latch roller 28' of yoke 28 occupies the valve stem notch 4b for enabling high flow, a notch 40 (FIG. 1) diametrically opposite the notch 4b provides clearance for the roller 1% of cross head 19 so that arm portions 19' of the cross head can abut similar arms of V the latch yoke 28 and move its roller 2% to the tripping passages 30, 31 can discharge vented vapor or fuel from the tank T througha hose connected at 32 to any safe disposal point, e.g., to the supply source (not shown).

The secondary shutdown apparatus partly described above operates via piston to trip or release the latch mechanism L and permit the loading spring V of the control valve to close that valve in event damage to the diaphragm 13 occurs or in event the float valve F closes and the diaphragm motor mechanism l8, 19, etc., nevertheless fails for any reason to function to effect shutdown of the nozzle unit. Manual or overriding shutdown, as in the Hammond application, involves depression of a spring returned plunger 34 which acts on a cam portion 28" of latch yoke 28 to move its roller 28' out of the valve stem notch 4b to initiate closure of the control valve. The vent passage portions 30 and 331i of the adapter head 12 and the nose portion it} of the nozzle are isolated from the positive signal pressure passages and 25a of those portions and from the fuel outlet 3 by two pairs of O-ring type seals around the nose portion ill as should be evident without requiring specific description. The seals are as shown in the Hammond application.

The generally closed chamber 5 in housing 1 which contains the manual control disabling, emergency, means or mechanism M hereof is closed at the top by a cover or lid portion 33 of the nozzle body (handle) section 32, the latter being suitably detachably secured to the housing. The mechanism M constitutes a fluid-pressure-operated spring loaded motor mechanism 35 shown in FIG. 2' as having a diaphragm assembly 36 in a pressure chamber E, essentially similar to that of diaphragm 18. The motor 35 has a slidably guided push-rod 38 carrying an output oroperating roller 3h movable toward and away from the axis of the control valve stem 4 to break the normal operating connection between the control lever 7 and .the control valve or valve plug V.

As shown by comparison of FIGS. lthrough 4, the valve control lever '7 has a fixed pivot comprising a pivot pin 49 on a bracket it? adjustably disposed within the chamber 5 for contact with a flat surface 7a on the control lever 7. The control lever is connected between its ends as by a pivot pin 42, via a tubular cross head member 44 and a draw link 50, detachably or interruptably to the valve stem 4.

In the illustrative construction herewith (see FlGS. 2, 3 and 4 particularly) the cross head 44 is guided partly by a sleeve 45 fixed to the lid portion 33 of the nozzle body, and partly by extending permanently into a central bore of a valve latch cover 6 and into telescoping relationship to the otherwise free upper end portion 4 (FiG.

d cross head 44 downwardly or so that it tends to follow closing motion of the valve V.

The valve stem, cross head and control lever assembly described above can be held firmly against rotating out of position, inter alia, by the slots 45 in the fixed sleeve 5 through which the pivot pin 42 extends and a radial pin 5% fixed to the end portion of the valve stem 4, extending through an axial slot 59 (see FIG. 4) in the cross head 44-, and into a similar slot 6t in the fixed valve latch cover member 6.

The lower end of the draw link 5!} is suitably shaped to cause reeng-agement of the link with the pin 53 of the control valve stem, after disengagement therewith, as a function of the link 59 being again lowered into contact with said pin when the control valve lever is depressed to the position illustrated by FIG. 1. The link is sufliciently long so that it can never leave the effective bifurcation (slot 4) at the top of the valve stem 4.

For operation of the emergency shutdown fluid motor 35 at proper times to release the control valve V the diaphragm chamber E is connected to the positive pressure bleed line branch 24 downstream from the conditioner valve C? as by a passage 62 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 intersecting the passage portion 25 in the nose portion Ill of the nozzle unit N. Thereby when, during a closed pressure fueling operation, the float valve plug 26' closes its port in body 26 to block the bleed passage 25, fuel under positive pressure from the pickup assembly 15 will increase and cause the diaphragm assembly 36 to swing the link 5t) leftwardly, P16. 2, and release the control valve. But whenever the conditioner valve CP is closed, as when the nozzle and adapter units N and A are disconnected, there will be negligible pressure in motor chamber B so that the attendant, via lever 7, will have full control of the valve V.

Operation (Supplemental) The operation of the mechanism hereof generally, both for closed pressure and open vent type fuel feeding, has been explained in full detail in the Hammond application. Supplementing the partial review thereof by the above description, if the attendant, while preparing to use the present apparatus for a dosed pressure fueling operation, neglects to raise the control lever '7 into the maximum high flow rate position and then release the lever so that the valve stem 4 will be latched by the roller 23' on the yoke 28, and so that it will be automatically released at proper times by operation of the float valve F or the conditioner valve CP, he cannot continue to dispense fuel into the tank after the float valve closes in the absence of lifting the nozzle unit out of its herewith-illustrated closed pressure fueling position. Nevertheless by separating the nozzle unit from the adapter unit the attendant can if desired thereafter continue to dispense fuel into the tank (topping off) at the limited or low flow rate enabled by the valve stem notch 4a as when the nozzle unit is being used to fill or charge open containers.

If, while the tank T is being charged under closed pressure operation and before the level in the tank reaches the float valve F, a critically high pressure occurs in the tank (as through clogging of the hose connected to vapor vent passage 31), and the pressure is on the way to becoming sufficiently high to cause failure of the spring detent devices C to hold the nozzle N sealed to the adapter A-and assuming further that the attendant has been deliberately or absent mindedly holding the control valve in some open position-the predetermined pressure will be transmitted through the open float valve F to the diaphragm chamber E to cause disconnection of the control valve lever 7 from the valve. Thereby for example fuel will not be accidentally spilled through the nozzle exteriorly of the tank where it would become hazardous.

If the valve V has been properly latched in the high flow position, through the attendant having released the lever 7 at proper time, and dangerously or critically high pressure then occurs in the tank while the fuel is at some level below that at which the float valve F closes to initiate shutdown via operation of diaphragm 18 etc, shutdown will nevertheless occur by operation of motor 35 to release the control valve.

It will be evident that during closed pressure fueling the mechanism M hereof will permit self closing of the control valve from any position in which the attendant may be holding it open. Also, during closed-pressure fueling and after an automatic signal designed to terminate flow has been given, the attendant is effectually prevented from adding fuel to the tank at any flow rate.

We claim:

1. A liquid dispensing system comprising:

(a) a nozzle unit having an inlet and an outlet intercommunicating through a valve chamber the outlet being adapted to be sealed to a generally closed receptacle,

(b) a self closing control valve in the chamber,

(0) mean operable manually by an attendant to open the control valve to low-flow and high-flow-dispensing positions,

(d) a latch mechanism acting automatically to hold the control valve in high-flow-dispensing position,

(e) a fluid motor having a pressure chamber and a displacement member movable therein and operatingly arranged to trip the latch mechanism and allow the valve to close.

(f) a source of pressure fluid connected to actuate the displacement member,

(g) signal means responsive to attainment of a predetermined condition within the container to be charged with the liquid and normally operating auto matically to control said fluid pressure to initiate actuation of the displacement member,

(h) additional motor means having an output connected'to render the manually operable means ineffective to hold the control valve in any open position,

(1) and means operated as a function of failure of the attendant to move the control valve to high-flowdispensing position followed by release by the attendant of the manually operable means, said means (i) operating to actuate said additional motor means.

2. A liquid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein the source of operating pressure for said fluid motor and additional motor means is derived as a func tion of the pressure of the liquid to be dispensed and at a region upstream from the control valve.

3. A liquid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said signal means is arranged to act in response to attainment of a desired liquid level in the container to be charged.

4. A liquid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein the nozzle unit is demountably sealed to the con-- tenance of the nozzle unit in sealed connection with such container while dispensing liquid through the nozzle at high-flow-dispensing rate.

6. A liquid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said means (0) is normally connected to the con-- trol valve via a draw link in the nature of a latch mov- (b) a self closing control valve in the chamber, 1

(c) an adapter unit on the container detachably mating-the nozzle unit in sealed relation thereto,

(d) means operable manually by an attendant to open the control valve to low-flow and high-flow-dispensing positions,

(e) latch mechanism operating to hold the control valve in high-flow-dispensing position,

(1) a first motor means having an output operatingly arranged to trip the latch mechanism to release the control valve,

(g) a source of power for said motor means,

(h) liquid-quantity-responsive means inthe container connected to control said source of power to initiate actuation of the first motor means,

(i) a second motor means connected with :said power source for'operation thereby,

(j) said second motor means having an output connected to render the manually operable means inelfective to hold the control valve in an open position,

(k) and actuating means for the second motor means acting as a function of failure of the attendant to move the manually operable means to the high-flow enabling position thereof and there releasing it prior to operation of said liquid-quantity-responsive means.

8. A liquid dispensing system comprising:

(a) a nozzle unit having an inlet and an outlet intercommunicating through a valve chamber, the outlet being adapted to be sealed to a generally closed receptacle,

(b) a self closing control valve in the chamber,

(0) means operable manually by an attendant to open the control valve to low-flow and high-flow-dispensing positions,

(d) a latch mechanism acting automatically to hold the control valve in high-flow-dispensing position,

(e) a fluid motor means having a pressure chamber and a displacement member movable therein and operatingly arranged to trip the latch mechanism and allow the Valve to close,

(f) a source of pressure fluid connected to actuate the displacement member,

(g) signal valve means responsive to attainment of a predetermined quantity of the liquid in the container to be charged therewith and normally operating automatically to control said pressure fluid to initiate actuation of the displacement member to trip the I latch mechanism,

(h) additional fluid pressure responsive motor means connected for operation by fluid pressure of said source and having an output connected to render the manually operable means ineffective to hold the control valve in any open position,

(i) and means connected to cause actuation of the additional motor means as a function of failure on part of the attendant to have released the manually operable means in high-flow enabling position when the signal valve means is operated to initiate latch tripping operation of said displacement member.

9. A liquid dispensing system according to claim 8 wherein the source of operating pressure for the motor means of (e) and (h) is derived as a function of presto openthe control valve to low-flow and high-flowdispensing positions,

(e) a latch mechanism on the nozzle unit operating automatically to hold the control valve in high-flowdispensing position,

(f) a fluid motor means having a pressure chamber and a displacement member movable therein operatingly arranged to trip the latch mechanism,

(g) a; source of positive pressure fluid in the nozzle inlet upstream from the control valve and a passage leading therefrom connected to enable actuation of p the displacement member,

(11) a normally open valve disposed in the container and connected with the pressure chamber via said passage,

(i) liquid-level-responsive means in the container connected to close the valve of subparagraph ([1) and trip the latch mechanism of (e),

(j) a self closing valve on the nozzle unit disposed in said passage between the valve of (h) and said source and maintained in open position by juxtaposition of the nozzle and adapter units,

(k) a second fluid motor means connected to said passage downstream from the valve of (j),

(I) the motor means of (k) having an output connected to render the manually operable means ineifective to hold the control valve in any open position,

(m) the motor means of (k) being rendered active as a function of closing of the valve of (h) providing the valve of (j) is then open.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM COMPRISING: (A) A NOZZLE UNIT HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET INTERCOMMUNICATING THROUGH A VALVE CHAMBER THE OUTLET BEING ADAPTED TO BE SEALED TO A GENERALLY CLOSED RECEPTACLE, (B) A SELF CLOSING CONTROL VALVE IN THE CHAMBER, (C) MEAN OPERABLE MANUALY BY AN ATTENDANT TO OPEN THE CONTROL VALVE TO LOW-FLOW AND HIGH-FLOW-DISPENSING POSITIONS, (D) A LATCH MECHANISM ACTING AUTOMATICALLY TO HOLD THE CONTROL VALVE IN HIGH-FLOW-DISPENSING POSITION, (E) A FLUID MOTOR HAVING A PRESSURE CHAMBER AND A DISPLACEMENT MEMBER MOVABLE THEREIN AND OPERATINGLY ARRANGED TO TRIP THE LATCH MECHANISM AND ALLOW THE VALVE TO CLOSE. (F) A SOURCE OF PRESSURE FLUID CONNECTED TO ACTUATE THE DISPLACEMENT MEMBER, (G) SIGNAL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ATTAINMENT OF A PREDETERMINED CONDITION WITHIN THE CONTAINER TO BE CHARGED WITH THE LIQUID AND NORMALLY OPERATING AUTOMATICALLY TO CONTROL SAID FLUID PRESSURE TO INITIATE ACTUATION OF THE DISPLACEMENT MEMBER, (H) ADDITIONAL MOTOR MEANS HAVING AN OUTPUT CONNECTED TO RENDER THE MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS INEFFECTIVE TO HOLD THE CONTROL VALVE IN ANY OPEN POSITION, (I) AND MEANS OPERATED AS A FUNCTION OF FAILURE OF THE ATTENDANT TO MOVE THE CONTROL VALVE TO HIGH-FLOWDISPENSING POSITION FOLLOWED BY RELEASE BY THE ATTENDANT OF THE MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS, SAID MEANS, (I) OPERATING TO ACTUATE SAID ADDITIONAL MOTOR MEANS. 